Wudhoo' (Ablution)

Wudhu is one of the greatest aspects of our Deen in that it is purification for the Muslim and because it has a relationship with our Imaan. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said in the well-known Hadith, “Purification is half of Imaan.” (Muslim)

Allah (az) says: “Allah does not want to lay any hardship upon you; rather He wants to purify you and complete His favours upon you so that you may give thanks.” (Surah Ma’idah 5:6)

Benefits of Wudhu:

1) Expiation of sins:

“He who performs the Wudhu perfectly (i.e., according to Sunnah), his sins will depart from his body, even from under his nails.” (Muslim)

“He who performs Wudhu like this, his previous sins will be forgiven and his Salaat and walking to the masjid will be considered as supererogatory acts of worship.” (Muslim)

“When a Muslim, or a believer, washes his face (in the course of Wudhu), every sin which he committed with his eyes, will be washed away from his face with water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin which is committed by his hands will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin his feet committed will be washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water; until he finally emerges cleansed of all his sins.” (Muslim)

2) Rasulullah (peace be upon him) will recognize his Ummah from their traces of Wudhu:

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: Rasulullah (peace be upon him) went to Baqi` and said, “May you be secured from punishment, O dwellers of abode of the believers! We, if Allah wills, will follow you. I wish we see my brothers.” The Companions said, “O Messenger of Allah! Are we not your brothers?” Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said, “You are my Companions, but my brothers are those who have not come into the world yet.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah! How will you recognize those of your Ummah who are not born yet?” Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said: “Say, if a man has white-footed horses with white foreheads among horses which are pure black, will he not recognize his own horses?” They said: “Certainly, O Messenger of Allah!” Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said: “They (my followers) will come with bright faces and white limbs because of Wudhu’; and I will arrive at the Al-Kauthar ahead of them.” (Muslim)

3) The Believers will be recognized by their traces of Wudhu on the Day of Judgment:

“On the Day of Resurrection, my followers (or Ummah) will be summoned ‘Al-Ghurr Al-Muhajjalun’ from the traces of Wudhu’.” (Al-Bukhari)

Imam Nawawi [r] explains this name:

“The word “Ghurr” is the plural of “Agharr” which means shining or white. It is used for animals (like a horse), i.e., a white mark on its face. Here, it refers to that radiance which will issue from the brows of the believers on the Day of Resurrection and which will make them prominent. Muhajjalun is from Tahjil which also means whiteness but it is used for that whiteness which is found on all the four or at least on three legs of a horse. Here, it refers to that light which will shine through the hands and feet of the believers because of their habit of performing Wudhu’. This means that the believers among the Muslims will be distinguished from other communities by virtue of the radiance issuing from their faces, hands and feet on the Day of Resurrection in the same way that a horse with a white forehead is easily distinguished from other horses.”

4) Wudhu is radiance and the Believers are encouraged to increase in it:

Abu Hurairah (RA) said:

“Whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so.” (Al-Bukhari)

5) The adornment of a Believer in Jannah will reach up to where the water reached his body:

“The adornment of the believer (in Jannah) will reach the places where the water of Wudhu reaches (his body).” (Muslim)

(I testify that there so no true god except Allah Alone, Who has no partners and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger),’

the eight gates of Jannah are opened for him. He may enter through whichever of these gates he desires (to enter).” (Muslim)

7) Preserving Wudhu is a sign of Imaan: “… and no one preservers their Wudhu except a Believer.” (Ibn Majah, Sahih)

8) Performing Wudhu in hardship effaces the sins and elevates the ranks:

Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you something by which Allah effaces the sins and elevates ranks (in Jannah)?” The Companions said: “Certainly, O Messenger of Allah.” Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said: “Performing the Wudhu thoroughly in spite of difficult circumstances, walking with more paces to the Masjid, and waiting for the next As-Salaat (the prayer) after observing Salaat; and that is Ar-Ribat, and that is Ar-Ribat.” (Muslim)

Imam Nawawi (rahimahullah) says:

“Hardship and unpleasantness here stand for the uneasiness that one feels while performing Wudhu’ in severe cold. To wait for the next Salaat after offering a Salaat is regarded as Ribat for the reason that by so doing, a person who is particular in offering Salaat keeps himself constantly engaged in the obedience and worship of Allah to keep Satan away from him.”

With these benefits in mind, let's make it our habit to constantly be in a state of Wudhu, Allah Willing. We should try and remember these ahaadeeth during even cold days to motivate us to keep up this Sunnah and with Allah is the greatest reward.

O Allah! Make us among those who constantly purify themselves, inwardly and outwardly. Aameen Thuma Aameen.

One of the conditions of tahaarah (purification) being valid is that the water must touch the skin. If there is any barrier such as grease, paint, wax or glue that prevents water reaching the skin, then the tahaarah is not valid and prayers offered in that case are not valid.

The evidence for that is the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him): “If you find water, then let it touch your skin, for that is good.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood (332); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.]

Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

'If there is on him any mastic or anything thick that will prevent the water from reaching the skin, his washing of that part for wudoo’ is not valid, unless he removes it or removes enough so that he knows that there is no barrier to the water touching the skin.' [Al-Umm (1/44).]

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

'If there is wax, dough, henna and the like on one of his limbs, which prevents water from reaching any part of it, then his tahaarah is not valid, whether the amount is large or small. If there are traces of henna and its colour left on the hand, without there being any solid material left, or elsewhere, or traces of liquid grease whereby water flows over the limb but does not stay there, his tahaarah is valid.' [Al-Majmoo’ (1/529).]

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (5/218):

'If the colour is impermeable, then wudoo’ is not valid unless it is removed before doing wudoo’. If it is not impermeable, then wudoo’ is valid, as is the case with henna.'